FACTBOX-Syria's military: what does Assad have?

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April 6 (Reuters) - Here are details of Syria's armed forces
which experts say are dominated by senior Alawite officers,
ensuring loyalty to President Bashar al-Assad.

Assad deployed the army in the main port city of Latakia
last month and around the southern city of Deraa, where protests
broke out nearly three weeks ago inspired by Arab uprisings
elsewhere in North Africa and the Middle East.

Syria's armed forces total 295,000 active personnel, backed
by heavy artillery, tanks, warplanes and a small navy. There are
also 314,000 reservists. In a move to curb dissent last month,
Assad shortened military conscription to 18 months from 21.

* GROUND FORCES:

Numbers: 220,000 including conscripts. Assad's brother Maher
controls the Presidential Guard, the Republican Guard, and the
Fourth Armoured Division which together with Syria's secret
police form the heart of the country's security forces.